100 Favorite Dishes: Okonomiyaki at Kobe An

No. 34: Okonomiyaki atKobe AnOkonomiyaki is a common street food or diner-style dish in Osaka that has spread throughout Japan, but is relatively rare in the U.S. — and almost impossible to find in Denver. The dish is similar to an omelette or savory pancake, and hits all the notes — salty, sweet, rich and fatty — that make for instant comfort food, even if some of the ingredients are a little unfamiliar. Kobe An is the place to go if you want to experience this sizzling hot slab of eggy goodness.

Kobe An has been serving up Japanese specialties in Denver since 1979 but closed its original Lakewood location last year and reopened in a downstairs spot in Cherry Creek North earlier this year. Go at lunch if you want a quiet meal (residents and businesspeople in the area haven't quite caught on to the new location yet) or stop in for dinner in the elegant and dimly lit dining space, which includes traditional tatami rooms with low tables. Along with sushi, noodle soups, tempura and an assortment of grilled steaks and seafood, the okonomiyaki hides out on the "Other Kobe An Favorites" page, drawing little attention to itself among the more familiar dishes.

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Kobe An's version of the dish is light and fluffy, but also has enough egg to make it more than just a pancake. The batter is laced through with finely chopped vegetables and herbs, including a generous dose of scallions. Thin slices of crisp pork belly that are closer to pancetta than bacon pave the top of the okonomiyaki (you can also opt for ribeye steak or shrimp, but the pork belly offers the most breakfast-style flavor). On top of that, spirals of tangy Japanese mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce — thick and sweet like teriyaki — dazzle in a hypnotist's wheel, drawing you into its savory spell.

Served on a scorching cast-iron skillet, the dish stays hot down to the last bite, so a big Japanese beer is the perfect accompaniment. A shake of grass-green seaweed flakes and a mound of pickled ginger add bursts of brightness and umami. While offered as an entree, Kobe An's okonomiyaki would also make a great appetizer, cut into pizza-style wedges for sharing with a group. It's a humble dish that rises to culinary brilliance due to its rarity and the adept skills of Kobe An's kitchen.

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Although the Best of Denver 2015 edition is out, we'll keep counting down the contenders for the best dishes in the city in advance of Westword's Dish event on September 20, where many of our Best of Denver winners — along with other favorites — will congregate to serve up small plates. If there's a dish you think we need to try, tell us about it in the comments section, or shoot us an e-mail at cafe@westword.com.

Mark Antonation is the Westword Food & Drink Editor. He got his start by eating at and writing about every restaurant on Federal Boulevard and continues to cover the metro area's diverse international food scene, as well as the city's quickly changing restaurant landscape.